Magnetic effervescent tablets containing deep eutectic solvent as a green microextraction for removal of polystyrene nanoplastics from water

Abstract

Nanoplastics, as an emerging contaminant in the water environment, it is challenging to extract nanoplastics from environmental water based on the limited information in the literature. This study aimed to develop a novel, environmentally friendly, and rapid method to remove polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics from water while reducing economic and environmental costs. This study used a magnetic effervescent tablet composed of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES), Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles, sodium carbonate, and tartaric acid to extract and enrich the target analytes. The combined action of extractant and sorbent materials was found to improve the extraction efficiency during the experiments significantly. DES in combination with magnetic effervescent tablets showed a high extraction efficiency of 94.0 ± 0.8% when extracted under optimal conditions. Fluorescence-assisted detection was used to identify the target compounds, with a linear range of 1–100 ng mL−1 and a detection limit of 0.16 ng mL−1. The Analytical Ecological scale and the Green Analysis Process Index were employed to evaluate the greenness of the method, and the results demonstrated its sustainability level. This research showed that DES can be promising extractants for removing PS nanoplastics from aqueous environment.